LUDHIANA: The supporters of the Punjab Chief Minister, Beant Singh, thrashed and allegedly kidnapped a supporter of the Indian Youth Congress president, Maninderjit Singh Bitta, from the local Circuit House soon after Bitta left the place.

As soon as Bitta came out after addressing a press conference in the afternoon and sat in his car, a large number of his supporters raising slogans in his praise.

This was not relished by supporters of the Chief Minister and his Political Secretary, Gurmit Singh, led by the District Congress Committee (Rural) president, Gurdev Singh Lapran and the self-styled president of the City Youth Congress, Amarjit Singh Tikka, who were waiting in the corridor.

Just as Bitta’s motorcade disappeared, his rivals pounced upon Bhagwant Singh, secretary of the Ludhiana District Youth Congress (Urban) led by Parminder Mehta who was raising pro-Bitta slogans. They abused and gave him blows during which his turban fell down. He was later whisked away.

Tikka, during the scuffle, even took out his revolver. The police, though in good strength, failed to react to all this drama enacted in the open.

Bhagwant Singh was later abandoned by his kidnappers in Sarabha Nagar locality, according to Mehta. He demanded suspension of the police officials who were unable to control the situation. He said it involved a blatant violation of security since Bitta’s rivals were allowed to enter the Circuit House with weapons

Clarifying their position, Tikka said he just happened to reach there by coincidence to meet a police official. He said he reacted as he was abused by Bhagwant Singh, Lapran said he only tried to separate those engaged in scuffle.

In his press conference earlier Bitta had leveled serious charges against Lapran, Tikka and Gurmit Singh and charged them with giving shelter to militants

Talking of Punjab, Bitta again feared a threat to his life because the Political Secretary to Chief Minister, Gurmit Singh, was allegedly harboring and promoting leaders with militant connections.

LUDHIANA: The President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). Parkash Singh Badal, reiterated, that he was always in favor of Akali unity, based on certain principles as desired by its leaders.

At Mullanpur, he said that only such a unity could be of lasting worth. This policy is again at variance with the concept guaranteed by the Akal Takht jathedar to make leaders with divergent views merge. Refusing to comment on the unity efforts which were renewed at the Akal Takht, recently, he said that he would put forward the entire case before his working committee members, district presidents. Former legislators and the SGPC men. He has summoned them for a meeting at Jalandhar, on January 20. To discuss the issue threadbare and take vital decision

That he was still in favor of pursuing his own style of politics was clear when he replied that his. “Punjab bachao” morcha shall continue and that it was gathering momentum.

Later, addressing a public gathering he still kept away from touching the volatile unity topic.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Sikh Lawyers’ Council (PSLC) and the Sikh Vichar Manch (SVM) have hailed the unity efforts of the Akal Takht and called upon the protagonists of Amritsar declaration to stick to its essence and content.

The two Sikh groups also described Simranjit Singh Mann’s arrest as an effort by the State 10 sabotage the unity efforts and to prevent Mann to publicize the spirit of the Amritsar declaration

Gurbhajan Singh Gill, Gurdish Singh Grewal, Inderjit Singh Bedi, Swaran Singh Sandhu and Jagmohan Singh Khanna, in a statement, stronglycondemned the arrest of Mann under TADA and urged the Sikh organizations to united oppose it

On the unity issue, they said that any move on part of the Akal Takhi Jathedar, the state of any faction of the Akali Dal to dilute or amend the declaration will prove fatal to the panth.

The activists have called upon all sections of the panth to see into the intrigues of the State, its agencies and communal forces opposed to the glorification of the panth, and to unite under the aegis of the Akal Takht to frustrate their machinations.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 20, 1995